Monash Council blew $62,000 on food over four years

COUNCILLORS in Melbourne’s east have been devouring slap-up dinners every month for four years, spending an average of $1015 per meeting — all at ratepayers’ expense.

Mains, desserts and platters were on the menu for Monash councillors for every meeting over four years.

• Councillors rack up $300k expenses bill
• Is this Melbourne’s costliest councillor?
• Lord Mayor’s $28k expense calamity
• Pollie claims $16,000 for childcare

MONASH councillors have run up dinner bills worth $62,000 in the past four years — and ratepayers have picked up the tab.

Council’s elected members and senior council staff feasted on meals — including a choice of mains, desserts and cheese platters — for each of the 61 monthly and special meetings, costing an average of $1015 for each meeting.

Fruit salads, pavlova and cakes were also served as regular treats.

HAVE YOUR SAY: What do you think of the council’s food bills? Tell us below

Monash ratepayers also paid for catering staff, including bar staff, sometimes for at least three hours.

Documents obtained under Freedom of Information show the cost of providing food alone at the previous council’s monthly meetings ranged between $821 and $2109.

Tucker for the council’s December 2013 meeting cost an eye-watering $2109.

The food bill for the July 2014 meeting came in at $1333.

Although there are 11 councillors, 24 people were routinely catered for. A Vermont catering company supplied all the meals during the council term.

But one meeting in December 2013 provided meals for 47 people at $35 a head, plus the cost of wait staff for three and a half hours. The dinner spreads have included:

Roast turkey, prawns and smoked salmon for a festive feast;

Festive bonbons for the table;

Plum pudding and mince pies for the 2014 halal Christmas dinner;

Hot-cross buns and bread-and butter pudding, and gluten free desserts for Easter 2015;

A birthday cake for Cr Brian Little in October 2014, and

A birthday cake in April 2014.

A function to celebrate the election of Geoff Lake to the mayoral position in 2013 warranted seven options of finger food for 50 people, at a cost of about $1500.

There was no let-up in spending by July 2015, when grub for the monthly meeting cost $1130.

The Christmas 2014 halal dinner cost almost two grand.

Monash Mayor Rebecca Paterson said most councillors and staff attended meetings straight from work and needed a meal as the meetings went until about 10pm.
“The meals are definitely not lavish — they are basic nutritional meals to help maintain people’s energy levels with things such as lasagne, curry, vegetables and fruit salad usually served,” Cr Paterson said.

“What we’re aiming to achieve is the lowest-cost way of feeding a group of people so they can maintain their energy to conduct important community business.”

Cr Paterson said food was also often served at briefing or scheduled meetings.

Councillors regularly enjoyed desserts such as pavlova.

Cheese platters added to the bill.

She said the council would continue to monitor spending “to get the best value for ratepayers”.

Monash Ratepayers spokeswoman Chan Cheah said it was “very generous” and the spend should be reduced or at least capped to last financial year’s spend of about $13,000.

“How our councillors spend on food and wine certainly reflects how they are going to plan budget spends, more likely also disconnected to meeting the real needs and interests of Monash people,” Dr Cheah said.

The revelations come as the State Government enforces its 2.5 per cent rate cap, aimed at encouraging councils to tighten their belts.

Acting Local Government Minister Lisa Neville said councils needed to consider community expectations and be able to justify decisions to their community.